CJ ENM-MBC Group Signs Partnership, Accelerating K-Content Distribution in the Middle East Market

CJ ENM has joined hands with MBC Group, a leading local media company, to target the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region market. They will open a TVING brand zone on 'MBC Shahid', an OTT platform available in 24 countries in the Middle East, and will begin full-scale supply of premium K-content.

CJ ENM announced on the 14th that it signed a strategic partnership with MBC Group for the supply of K-content at 'MIPCOM CANNES 2026', a broadcasting and video content market held in Cannes, France, on the 13th (local time). The core of this cooperation is to establish a wide-ranging cooperation system that encompasses content distribution through broadcasting channels beyond OTT streaming services.

33 titles, including 13 new works such as 'My Bias, My Boss', to be released sequentially

The content to be released through the TVING brand zone totals 33 titles, combining 13 new works from 2026 and 20 major library contents from CJ ENM. It includes latest works such as the romantic comedy 'My Bias, My Boss', 'Filing for Love', and 'Our Universe', and TVING originals 'The Legend of Kitchen Soldier' and 'Judge Lee Han-young' will also reach local viewers.

Service optimization work to increase accessibility for local viewers will also be carried out in parallel. CJ ENM plans to expand content providing Arabic dubbing and subtitles, and for the latest dramas, it plans to adopt a method of simultaneous release in the MENA region to coincide with the Korean release. Additionally, it will broaden touchpoints through the channel by exclusively presenting CJ ENM content through MBC Group's representative channel, MBC4, for a certain period.

In the video, MBC Group stated that by presenting Korean content through the TVING brand zone and broadcasting channels on MBC Shahid, they have become able to provide even broader and higher-quality content to Arabic-speaking viewers.

Expanding Middle East market base following the establishment of a Saudi corporation

CJ ENM has selected the MENA region, which has a high proportion of young population and rapidly increasing demand for K-content, as a next-generation global content hub and is accelerating business expansion. It has already laid the foundation for local business by establishing a Middle East corporation in Saudi Arabia last year, the first for a domestic entertainment company. This partnership is evaluated as having established a foundation for long-term cooperation to diversify original storytelling and source IP beyond simple content supply.

CJ ENM is continuously expanding the scope of the TVING brand zone through strategic cooperation with global platforms. Last year, it introduced the TVING brand zone to 17 regions in Asia-Pacific on HBO Max, and it is strengthening global distribution competitiveness by operating the 'TVING Collection' on Disney+ in Japan.

Kim Do-hyun, head of CJ ENM's Content Distribution BU, mentioned that this is a meaningful achievement that once again confirmed the competitiveness and growth potential of Korean content in the Middle East market, and stated that through the TVING brand zone within MBC Shahid, an environment has been prepared for Middle Eastern viewers to access premium K-content more easily and conveniently.

Source: cjenm.com